


Come What May

by SlytherinSweetheart (Cherrypie62666)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Sirius, Guess we'll see, I'm not sure how long this thing is, Love Confessions, M/M, Party Games, Slow Burn, Spin the Bottle, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Why Did I Write This?, bisexual remus, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-22 09:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12478344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrypie62666/pseuds/SlytherinSweetheart
Summary: It was over in a flash, the other pulling back and smiling at him like they hadn’t just done something horrifying with one another.  “There, see?  That wasn’t so bad, yeah?”“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sirius kiss someone like that,” Marlene said, fanning herself with her hand.  “Normally it’s all slobbery and wet sounding like a dog is doing it.”Rolling grey eyes at the girl, Sirius threw an arm around Remus’ shoulders.  “Of course not, but Moony here is special.  You don’t go kissing your friends so traumatically that they want to punch you for it later.”“I don’t know, mate, I think you broke him,” Rufus quipped.All eyes turned to Remus as he sat there statue still, lips parted slightly, face so pale and queasy it was hard to believe he hadn’t drunk a single drop of alcohol the entire night.





	1. Just a kiss

**Author's Note:**

> I was trying to write the next chapter of my other fic, and then this happened.  
> Guess we'll see where it goes. :)

Laughter sounded through the Commons, high-pitched trills and deep throaty whirs mixing together in a strange sort of melodic rhythm as they floated their way over to his ears.  Remus Lupin sat back against the arm of an overstuffed chair, soft flickering firelight dancing across the page of his book, trying his best to ignore the others in his house as they continued with their drunken games.

“No, no, no!  I won’t do it, you can’t make me,” Marlene McKinnon squealed obnoxiously, voice thick with inebriation.

A chorus of complaints drowned out the girl’s protests shortly thereafter, each one louder than the last, until it was more akin to a group of screaming baboons than a circle of intoxicated Gryffindor students.  Flicking his amber gaze over, Remus watched as the redhead pulled a face before crawling over to another female, of which he wasn’t certain her name, and kissed her full on the lips.

Blokes erupted in cheers as a few other girls rolled their eyes at the spectacle before one voice rose above the rest.  “Oi, let’s get on with it, then.  We haven’t got all night,” Sirius boomed in his perfectly posh-accented speech.  How one person with so much vulgarity and snarky quips spilling from his mouth on a daily basis could still manage to sound like a proper gentleman, all the same, was a mystery to the lot of them. 

In the end, he chalked it up to one of the prat’s many gifts and moved on.

“Okay, go ahead Pete, it’s your turn.”

Remus shifted lower in his seat, returning his focus to the book in his hands.

It was late Friday night, not an unlikely day for shenanigans to break out amongst the restless students of Hogwarts.  This was especially true during the colder months when rain pelted the stone walls and chilly air seeped its way through the castle’s poorly insulated windows.  Firewhiskey was a commonly smuggled item shared amongst the fifth, sixth, and seventh-year students; and more often than not, it resulted in questionable decisions betwixt his peers.

Not that Remus had never joined in on the fun.  He’d had his fair share of drunken nights spent paying homage to the porcelain gods as he retched up whatever shoddy mixture of booze and sweets someone had managed to smuggle out of the kitchens for the lot of them to partake in.  He just wasn’t as fond of doing so on a weekly basis like his mates were, and thusly found himself often in the quiet company of a good book.  Beat the hell out of a hangover, that’s for sure.

More laughter erupted from the group, a cacophony of pitches blurring together until it hurt his head trying to block it out.  Heaving a tired sigh, he placed a bookmark between the pages and closed the thing up, stretching out the stiff muscles in his legs and back before rising to his feet.

Perhaps the dorm room would prove easier to find a bit of peace.

Slinking quietly toward the stairs, he’d almost made an unnoticed escape until a cry of indignation stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Moons!  Come on, mate, join in the festivities,” Sirius bellowed at him from his place across the room.  Glancing back over his shoulder, he caught the dark-haired boy halfway out of his spot, ready to chase him down should he try to protest.

“I’m not really in the drinking mood,” Remus admitted reluctantly, clutching the book in his hands tightly against his chest.  “If you don’t mind, I’d rather just-“

“Nonsense,” his friend replied, waving a flippant hand his way.  “Lots of these here fine folk aren’t partaking for the evening.  Just come and have a bit of fun with us.”  When he hesitated too long, Sirius rolled his grey eyes.  “Oh, come off it, Rem.  Don’t be such an old codger.  You two,” he hollered, pointing at a fifth and sixth year across from himself, “scoot over so Remus can join us.”

Grumbling low in his throat he shuffled his way over with a sour expression playing out on his face, plopping down in the provided area and glaring daggers at his friend.  Sirius grinned cheekily back at him before motioning for the game to resume.  And so, his long night began.

Molly Walkins landed on Arjun Patil, Marcus Finnigan had to kiss his friend Rufus quite begrudgingly, Sirius kissed a blushing sixth-year girl very sloppily and made her excuse herself in embarrassment, and so on the game went down the line.  Remus sat quietly observing his housemates, always a little too thankful whenever the bottle stopped just shy of himself or kept going a few more inches to reach the person beside him. 

Not that he took issue with kissing anyone, be them boy or girl; after all, a kiss was a kiss and the game was just for fun.  Still, kissing as few people as humanly possible was his preferred method of getting through the night relatively unscathed.  By the time it was his turn to spin the bottle, he’d almost forgotten he wasn’t just an observer and was expected to participate.

“You’re up, Remus,” Peter smiled at him encouragingly, cheeks pink from alcohol and eyes glazed.

Frowning slightly, he drew his wand from the pocket of his robes, flicking his wrist and watching as the glass spun round in a blur of sparkling green.  It wobbled as it began its slow trickle past numerous curious faces, stopping finally on one that had him scowling hard in protest.  A few girls giggled behind their hands as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eyes flicking from the bottle to a surprised face, then back once more.

“Well, go on, then,” Marlene snickered as she waved a hand at Sirius.  “Go kiss him so we can continue the game.”

Crinkling his nose, he weighed the backlash of walking away outright against the humiliation of kissing his best friend in front of half their house.  “Right, give me a second to work myself up to that?”

Sirius grinned at him lazily, rolling onto his hands and knees and shuffling across the circle bit by bit.  “Oh, come on, Moony.  Don’t be such a prude.  It’s only a kiss,” he murmured.  Catcalls and whistles sounded around them in response as the boy crept ever closer.  “Just close your eyes and it’ll be over in an instant.”

Warmth flooded his cheeks, the urge to flee growing like an itch beneath his skin.  Sirius’ stormy eyes rooted him to the spot, keeping him locked down as if they alone were working a spell against him.  Even his arms, hanging limply at his sides, were unable to so much as twitch as his friend moved forward like a hungry wolf stalking a sheep.  The irony of the situation was not lost on him.

Time slowed down, amber eyes widening a fraction as the boy stopped before him and reached cool hands out to cup the sides of his face.  The scent of spicy sweetness and rubbing alcohol tickled his nose as breath fanned across his cheeks, Sirius closing the distance between them fast.  Warm lips finally pressed against his own so softly that his heart skipped a beat, eyes slipping shut of their own accord.

It was over in a flash, the other pulling back and smiling at him like they hadn’t just done something horrifying with one another.  “There, see?  That wasn’t so bad, yeah?”

“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sirius kiss someone like that,” Marlene said, fanning herself with her hand.  “Normally it’s all slobbery and wet sounding like a dog is doing it.”

Rolling grey eyes at the girl, Sirius threw an arm around Remus’ shoulders.  “Of course not, but Moony here is special.  You don’t go kissing your friends so traumatically that they want to punch you for it later.”

“I don’t know, mate, I think you broke him,” Rufus quipped.

All eyes turned to Remus as he sat there statue still, lips parted slightly, face so pale and queasy it was hard to believe he hadn’t drunk a single drop of alcohol the entire night.

“That wasn’t his first kiss, right,” Molly asked worriedly, tucking a strand of fiery hair behind her ear.

Marcus shook his head.  “Nah, he’s played before and had to kiss both Daphne Edgington and Connor Davies when they were still here, so it isn’t the bloke thing, either.”

“Maybe he’s sick, yeah,” Arjun said, shooting him a sympathetic look.

Sirius eyed him curiously, gaze skipping back and forth as a frown creased his brow.  “You alright, Rem?”

“Maybe you’re just a terrible kisser,” Marlene said with a snort.

Remus licked his lips and smiled sheepishly, despite the strange feeling blooming throughout his chest.  “Sorry, that was just really weird.  No offense, Pads,” he mumbled, hoping the low light made it hard to see the blush he felt painting his entire face.  “Honestly I think it’s mostly that I’m knackered from the long day.”

Pete came to his defense, bless his little heart.  “Me too, that DADA class today was brutal.”  Yawning dramatically, he scrambled to his feet, stumbling slightly.  “Come on, Moony, let’s go up to bed, yeah?”

“Right,” Remus agreed, offering the group an apologetic look.  He avoided one gaze in particular as he got up and grabbed his discarded paperback.  “Sorry for the fright.  You lot don’t stay up too late, it wouldn’t do to have half of Gryffindor absent from breakfast due to hangovers.”

The chorus of ‘goodnight’ followed him as he and the blond made their way back to the seventh-year dorm, ascending the staircase as calmly as he possibly could.  Once inside, his friend turned to him with a worried expression.

“You alright, then?”

Waving a dismissive hand, Remus walked over to his trunk to grab his night clothes.  “I’m fine, Pete.  It was just a shock is all.  Not every day you get kissed by your mate in front of a group of underclassmen.”

Peter nodded in understanding.  “Yeah, I don’t think I could do it.  If you’d like to talk about it…”

“Honestly, Wormy, I’d prefer to forget about it,” he said with a wry smile, shucking off his button up in exchange for his warm flannel pajama top.  Sitting down, he removed his shoes and trousers, slipped into his matching bottoms and crawled across the mattress.  “Thank you, though, for the concern.”

Peter flopped into his own bed across the room, burrowing beneath the covers.  “Well, goodnight, then.”

“Goodnight,” Remus echoed, closing up his hangings so he’d no longer be disturbed.

In the quiet darkness of his fourposter, where no one else could witness it, he brushed the pads of his fingers across still tingling lips, wondering at the reasoning behind his hammering heart and the growing sense of unease in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

 

“I heard I missed quite the spectacle last night,” James said with a sorrowful sigh, plopping into the seat beside him in the Great Hall.

Remus was sipping a cup of tea and flicking through the prophet, trying his best to ignore the heavy whispers he could hear with his damnable heightened sense.  “Is that so,” he asked, scanning an article about increasing disappearances in the wizarding world.

James elbowed him gently in the ribs.  “Oh, come off it, don’t play dumb with me, Moony.  I heard all about what happened while I was on Head Boy duties.”

Remus let out a derisive snort.  “That’s rich.  Don’t you mean snogging Evans in the empty corridors and abusing your power?”

“Same thing,” James said with a shrug, taking a hearty bite of his toast.  Chewing thoroughly, he pointed the thing at him in accusation.  “Spill, how terrible was it to kiss Sirius and can we maybe have a replay of the event so I can witness it with my own two eyes?”

 “I don’t think so,” Remus muttered, lifting the cooling tea to his lips.  Watching the other boy over the top of the cup, he narrowed his eyes distastefully.  “Besides, it’s not like it was a huge deal.  Didn’t you have to kiss Frank Longbottom one time in fifth year?”

James gave him a sour look.  “Don’t remind me, I’m trying to pretend that was just a bad dream.”

“Exactly,” Remus sniffed.  “And I’d prefer to follow in that same vein and act like it never happened.”

“That bad, eh,” James grinned wolfishly, looking too thoroughly pleased with the thought.  “I wouldn’t know, short of kissing him myself, but I always suspected he was a lot of talk.”

Pursing his lips, Remus frowned.  “It was hardly a four-second kiss, Prongs, not something one really can assess easily.  Now leave it alone, or I’ll bring up Longbottom again once a week until the cows come home.”

Clucking his tongue, James acquiesced.  “Sorry, miss prissy.  Didn’t realize you’d get your knickers in a twist over it.”

“What are we talking about,” Sirius asked, plopping down across from them and flicking his stormy gaze back and forth.  For being up so bloody late and not stumbling into their shared dorm until well after hours, the prat had the nerve to look just as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as someone who slept half the night on a bed of crushed satin.

James grinned teasingly at their mate.  “Just how terrible of a kisser you are, enough that Moony here is want to obliviate it from his memory.”

Sirius clutched his chest dramatically.  “Me?  Never.  Why, I have the kiss of an angel.”

“Kiss of a dementor more like,” James snorted, glancing at Remus sidelong.

“And anyway,” Sirius huffed, pointedly ignoring the jab.  “I hardly remember all that.  Hit the firewhiskey a bit too hard and had to drink two hangover potions this morning before the sun stopped shouting at me.  Remind me never to do that again.”

“You won’t listen,” James said with a smirk.

Sirius smiled sweetly, curling a hand beneath his chin.  “I know, but that doesn’t mean it can’t hurt to try.”  Fluttering his eyelashes for a brief moment in mock femininity, he snatched up a croissant and took a bite.  “So, what’s the plan for the day.”

Remus closed the prophet and folded it back up, setting it down on the tabletop.  “Right, you two don’t forget the charms assignment is due next class.  I’ve got an arithmancy thing I need to head over to the library for.  No, you aren’t allowed to copy my paper and yes, I will triple check so Flitwick doesn’t give us all another Saturday detention like last time.  I mean it.”

Ignoring the very strange look Sirius gave him, he fled the Great Hall before his heart exploded inside his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I considered making this chapter longer.  
> I didn't. I guess I wanted to get a feel for this thing and get it off the word doc.  
> Once again, I have zero clue if this will be long or short, I just have a direction and we will see how long it takes to get there.  
> Sorry for anyone waiting on my other fic, Books and Chocolate. I am a mess and can't contain it. :D
> 
> Hit me up on Tumblr - Cherrypie62666


	2. An Awkward Meal

Remus sat in the library, hidden behind piles of books, trying his best not to think about the implications of his strange bodily reactions to one Sirius Black.  ‘Trying’ being the keyword, as he was failing horribly and had been for most of the afternoon.

Sunlight spilled through the windows to his right, reaching long fingers across the wooden floors and painting the shelves in beams of blinding white.  For the most part, the library was vacant of students, the majority of them off enjoying their Saturday as best they could while cooped up inside the cold castle walls.  If it weren’t for the fact he was avoiding his little problem, he too might be enjoying the cold afternoon with his mates, playing a game of Exploding Snap in the Gryffindor Commons or else sitting in their dorm planning their next great prank.

Heaving a sigh, he flipped through the pages of a well-worn book, eyes skimming the contents without absorbing a single word of the text.  It was silly, Remus knew as much, but he couldn’t help feeling like the best course of action was to remain ever vigilant in his attempt to outrun the strangeness for as long as humanly possible. 

Not that he was truly experiencing anything _that_ strange.  His rapid heart rate and continuous dry mouth were probably the result of tossing and turning half the night and a lack of fluids.  The slight shake of his hands was just because the moon was growing rounder by the minute.  The fact he couldn’t look at Sirius for more than a moment without feeling horribly nauseous was purely coincidental.  Eventually, things would die back down.  If he told himself enough times, perhaps it might start to be true.

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor pulled him from his thoughts, gaze flicking over as the familiar face regarded him calmly from across the large table.  Brow quirked inquisitively, the auburn-haired girl sat and folded her hands on the surface of the wood, patiently awaiting his response.

“Hello, Lily,” he murmured, closing the book without bothering to mark the page.  It’s not as if he was intent on actually reading the thing.  It was just something to help pass the time while he hid himself away.

Green eyes assessed him quietly for another moment longer before she decided to reply.  “How are you today, Lupin,” she asked in nonchalance, gazing at the mess of books piled all around.  “Decided to do a bit of light reading?”

Remus’ mouth pressed into a warily thin line as lifted one arm up in a half-hearted shrug.  “Not really, no,” he stated slowly, keeping his tone light.  If there was one thing the girl was good at, it was sniffing out the slightest hesitation and latching onto it until you cracked under the pressure.

“Oh, then what are all the books for?  Studying for something, perhaps?”

Running a hand along the back of his neck, he shook his head.  “Not so much.  They’re not really for anything, I was just leafing through them for kicks.”

Lily tilted her head curiously.  "I see.  How long have you been sitting here?"

"Er," he said, drawing out the word as he weighed his options.  All it would take is one comment from James or Pete and she'd know eventually.  Reluctantly, he offered the truth.  "Since just after breakfast, about ten or eleven o'clock."

Leaning forward ever so slightly, a smile curled her mouth as she hummed in contemplation.  “So, you’re brooding over something, then.  Anything in particular on your mind?”

“James sent you,” he guessed, noting the slightly sheepish look that flickered on her face before she regained composure and widened her eyes innocently back at him.

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.  I just saw you sitting here and thought I’d come and see what it was that has you looking so out of sorts.”

Remus snorted derisively in response, lacing his fingers together and propping them beneath his chin.  “You don’t have to dance around it, Evans.  I know James is wondering why I’ve skipped lunch and decided to hole up in here instead.  My guess is he figured I’d be more comfortable to speak with you about it than with him.”

“And are you,” she asked, mimicking his bodily actions.

Smiling softly, he shook his head.  “There’s nothing to talk about.  I just happened to lose track of time and didn’t make it to lunch, that’s all.  You can tell him as much if you’d like.”

Lily’s brow creased as she pursed her lips.  “I find it hard to believe even you would hang out half the day in the library, doing practically nothing if you’re to be believed, if there wasn’t something on your mind.”  When he didn’t respond immediately, she rolled her eyes.  “Let me guess, this has something to do with a little game of spin the bottle and the fact that you had to kiss Sirius?”

“Is that what James told you,” he asked coolly, staring hard at his lap and fiddling with a loose thread in the hem of his robes.  He more heard than saw Lily’s sigh of exasperation, flicking his amber gaze up until it locked with her green one.

A softness flashed across her features as she smiled at him wryly.  “Actually, no,” she murmured, tucking a fiery lock of hair behind her left ear.  “James just mentioned his worry.  I’ve put the pieces together from the facts I’m aware of and my understanding of how daft you boys seem to be.”

“Which would be what,” he mumbled, frowning at the knowing look she gave him in response.

Cocking her head to the side, she hummed quietly, tapping a finger to her chin.  “Well, for one, boys are strangely more homophobic than us girls are.”  He made to open his mouth to protest but she waved a flippant hand to stop him.  “I know, you’ve done just fine in the past when it came to having to kiss another bloke.  Most of you have once or twice if I’m not mistaken.  Number two, boys are odd when it comes to awkward moments with their mates.  Strangers you rarely deal with are easy enough to brush off later.  A close friend is a lot harder.”

“So, you’re saying what I’m feeling is unease over having to kiss my friend because he is my friend and that makes it weirder for me than if it were a complete stranger?”

Lily grinned, curling a hand beneath her chin as she gazed at him with an air of smug satisfaction.  “I don’t know, Remus.  Are you admitting that you’re avoiding something?”

Raking a hand through his shaggy brown hair, he shrugged.  “I dunno.  I might be inclined to admit that I’m a little less than alright at the moment.”

“You’re going to have to do better than that if you want my advice here, Lupin,” she singsonged with a wicked smirk.

Remus scowled at the Head girl, noting the triumphant gleam in her eye as she awaited his crumbling resolve.  “Alright.  I’m avoiding Sirius because… well, because I feel weird now, like you said.  Not so much currently, but whenever I even consider going back to the Commons I panic a little when I think of running into him there.  This is the only place I know he hates going, especially on a weekend.”

Lily nodded sympathetically like she understood the feeling.  Perhaps she really did.  “You can’t avoid him forever, you know.  He’s going to catch on at some point, and it’s only going to get more and more awkward between the two of you the longer you wait it out.  Rip the Band-Aid in one go, as it were.”

Groaning loudly, Remus raked a hand down his face, suddenly feeling exhausted.  Lack of a proper meal the whole of the day didn’t help the matter much, nor did the weight of the stress on his shoulders or the crappy sleep he’d received tossing and turning half the night.  “Logically, I know that.”

“But,” she probed softly, waiting patiently for him to answer in his own time.

A wry smile curled his mouth, leaning back in his chair as he flicked his gaze over to the window, watching the clear blue sky as the edges slowly tinged with soft pinks and dazzling golds.  It was getting later by the second, the whole of the day wasted in a room by himself doing nothing but brooding, all because he couldn’t look at Sirius without feeling… _differently_.  It made absolutely no sense, and yet here he was, acting like a bloody git and a coward to boot.

“But emotions aren’t the most logical thing, now, are they?  I fear that’s why they call murders done in the heat of emotions a crime of passion, not a crime of logical forethought.”

Lily snorted derisively.  “I highly doubt hiding away because you’re afraid to face your mate after a drunken peck is on par with murdering someone in a blind rage, Remus.”

Laughter bubbled in his throat, warmth spreading through him as the weight he’d been feeling lying heavy and murky in his chest began to slowly dissipate with each belly rumbling chuckle.  Humming quietly, he shook his head.  “No, I guess not.  I’ve just never been good at dealing with uncomfortable things.  I tend to retreat into myself whenever things become too difficult or too weighted.  Normally I can do so in the comfort of my own dorm room, but, well…”

“The thing you’re avoiding is unavoidable there,” Lily finished for him with a kind smile.

“Right,” he said, heaving a tired sigh.  “And now I’ve got no one to pull me from my funk and force me to get over it like Sirius and James normally do when I hole up half the day with the hangings closed.”

Rising to her feet, Lily marched over to him, hands firmly planted on her hips.  “Remus Lupin, I insist that you come with me at once to the Great Hall for some supper and the lovely company of your friends and peers.  If you don’t come willingly, I’ll punish you will prefect rounds thrice a week until the end of the year.  And don’t think I can’t, I am Head girl and happen to have a very good relationship with the Head boy of the school.  He’ll agree with me, I’m quite sure of it.”

Raising his hands in a placating gesture, Remus slipped from his own seat.  Even from their height difference of almost a full thirty centimeters, Lily Evans was a terrifying sight to behold when she glared up at you with her smoldering eyes.  “Alright, alright.  I’ve gotten the message loud and clear.  Just let me put these books back where they belong so I can avoid Madam Pince’s wrath later on.  I do still enjoy coming here when the mood strikes.  I’d hate to be banned like the others always are.”

Smiling brightly, the girl clapped her hands together happily.  “I’ll give you a hand, then.  It’ll go twice as fast with a little help.”

Remus watched as she spun on her heels and levitated a large stack off the table before wandering down the old dusty shelves.  With a reluctant sigh, he followed suit, both thankful and a little vexed at having so many people around that cared enough for him to pull him from all comfort zones and shake a little sense into his head when the situation called for it.

* * *

The roar of voices helped to drown out his anxious thoughts as he trekked begrudgingly behind the scary girl on their way to the Gryffindor table.  As expected, the majority of students were already happily munching away on various food items, the two of them some of the last to trickle in fifteen minutes late to the occasion.

James’ hazel eyes caught sight of the two of them first, a look of relief and something softer washing over his features as he stopped midsentence to watch Lily approach.  The girl veered around to the other side of the table toward her boyfriend, leaving Remus all alone to steadily make his way up to the mop of shaggy dark hair that had yet to acknowledge his presence.

Sirius spun around in his seat at the last moment, a dazzling smile painting his handsome face.  “Well, look what the cat dragged in.  Or should I say, the doe.”

“I see the mission was a success,” James pipped up as Lily took the empty spot beside him, gazing lovingly at the side of her head like a lovesick git.

The girl shrugged like it was nothing, buttering up a dinner roll with a stoic look on her face.  “I just reminded him of the late hour and he was more than happy to come along.  Right, Lupin?” 

Remus nodded as he took his own reluctant seat between the other two Marauders, avoiding the curious grey eyes he could feel watching his every movement directly to his left.  Reaching across the table, he loaded his plate quietly and began to eat without a word.

“So, I’ve been thinking of asking Emily to the Hogsmeade weekend that’s coming up,” Peter announced to the lot of them, pulling the attention thankfully away from his person.  Leave it to the boy to judge the mood effectively and save his ass without raising suspicions.  He was definitely more aware and cunning than his chubby, innocent face ever let on.

Lily smiled softly at the boy.  “I think that’s wonderful, Pete.”

“Oh, mate,” Sirius cackled gleefully beside him, wiping a fake tear from the corner of his eye.  “Let me know before you ask her, I’d love to be there to see that.”

Peter huffed indignantly in response.  “I could get a date with Emily Brixton, it’s not that farfetched.”

“In your dreams, mayhap,” the dark-haired boy teased right back, voice laced with soft amusement.

Remus munched on a sausage quietly to signal his reluctance to answer, staring intently down at his plate.

“And what say you, Prongs,” Peter shot the question to their other friend, once again keeping the focus off the only one of them that just wanted to finish his meal and leave.  “Do you think I have a good shot?”

James mulled it over for a moment, sparing a sidelong glance at his girlfriend who was giving him a terrifyingly cold look.  “Er, sure, mate.  I mean, stranger things have happened before,” he said with a sheepish smile, raking a hand through his unruly locks.

Peter visibly deflated to the right of him, shoulders slumping as he pushed a pea across his plate with his fork.  “Right.  Maybe I won’t, then.  I mean, there’s no point if everyone thinks I’ll just be shot down.  Might as well spare myself the trouble, yeah?”

Lily smacked James audibly on the arm before turning to the sullen boy with a bright smile.  “Now, Peter, just because the odds are sometimes stacked against you is no reason not to give it a shot.  Look at James here.  How many times did I turn him down before he managed to exhaust me into finally saying yes?”

James yelped in surprise while the rest of them snickered behind their hands.  “How could you say such a thing, Lils?  I like to think it was my charm and good looks that finally won your heart.”

“You know what they say," Lily quipped with a wicked gleam in her eyes.  "If first, you do not succeed, try and try again.  And when that doesn’t work, annoy her day and night until she succumbs to your so-called charms,” she teased as she planted a sloppily wet kiss on the pouting boy’s cheek.

Peter perked up at that.  “You’re right, Evans.  Thanks, I’ll give it a shot first thing on Monday in Potions.”

“Why wait,” Sirius asked in his slow drawl, curling a hand beneath his head as he leaned over the table to get a better look at the other.  “You have all night and all day tomorrow.  Might as well bite the bullet before some other bloke gets the chance to ask her first.  If they haven’t already.”

“And what about you, Padfoot,” Peter huffed.  “Are you going to ask any unfortunate ladies to a snogging session behind the Hog’s Head before you ditch them to come have a butterbeer with your friends at the Three Broomsticks?”

A bark of laughter rang out from his lips, low and smooth, sending a jolt of electricity straight down Remus’ spine.  Their shoulders brushed lightly as the other sat up straight once more, and he tried desperately to pretend that the flutter in his stomach was just from the shock of the sudden noise so close to his sensitive ears.

“Actually, no,” Sirius murmured.  “As tempting as it sounds, I can’t leave our poor Remy here all alone to fend for himself.  Just because you two are a couple of daft fools who think a trip with a girl is better than one with his mates doesn’t mean I am.”

Setting down his fork, he turned to the dark-haired boy for the first time that evening, leveling him with a cool gaze.  “I am perfectly able to find my own entertainment, Pads,” Remus replied in an unimpressed voice.

Sirius grinned back at him, grey eyes twinkling with delight.  “Oh, look who finally decided to join the conversation.  I was beginning to think you’d become mute or something.”

Despite the sudden acceleration of his heart beat at the sultry look directed his way, Remus’ face remained completely stoic.  “I didn’t think it imperative to add anything when I’m trying to enjoy my meal.  I did miss lunch, you know.”

“Yes, I was quite aware of your absence.” 

A sinking feeling welled inside of him but he pushed it down, pulling a gentle smile to his lips.  "Sorry, you know how I get if no one is around to remind me to take a break."

James chuckled outright.  "Remember that time we found you hidden away in the dorm with the hangings closed, using the light of your wand to study every last book on transfiguration you could get ahold of?"

Peter nodded vigorously.  "Or the entire week before O.W.L.S when I'm pretty sure you didn't sleep more than five total hours you were cramming so hard, and you fell asleep in History of Magic and started snoring really loudly during the middle of Binns' lecture?"

Remus grimaced.  "I'm surprised I didn't get detention for that one."

"I don't think he even noticed," James quipped, shooting him a proud grin.

Propping his head on his fist, Sirius smiled tightly.  “How was the Arithmancy assignment?  Did you finish it, then?”

Blinking in momentary confusion, the lie he’d given out earlier that day suddenly flitted across his mind.  Turning back to his dinner, he nodded slightly as he avoided accusing grey eyes.  “Yes.  I did.  The library was a good place to work in relative silence.  I’m glad I decided to go there.”

A look of hurt flashed across the other's face so quickly, Remus wasn’t even positive it happened at all.  Flicking his gaze over to the redheaded girl across from them, Sirius' brow furrowed as his mouth became a thin line.  “I see.  That’s good.”

Remus followed his line of sight to a sheepish looking Lily, a faint blush painting her cheeks.  She avoided them both by staring down into her lap, pretending to be interested in something on her skirt.  The thought that she’d probably already told all of them there was no assignment didn’t stop him from continuing to feign ignorance like he wasn’t just caught red-handed.  “Indeed, now I have the whole rest of the weekend to do whatever I please.  Did you get started on your Charms assignment at all?”

Sirius shifted in his seat.  “No, we didn’t find the time, I’m afraid.”

“You should get on that, then.”

“Indeed.”

The rest of the meal was finished in an awkwardly heavy silence, the only sounds floating up from the silverware scraped across plates or the peals of laughter from their peers as the entire Hall enjoyed their Saturday evening.  Dinner foods steadily disappeared from the table, replaced with all kinds of sweets that had Remus’ stomach rolling just from looking at them.  That's what he told himself, anyway.  It was easier than admitting he might have a problem with no soultion in sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I kept staring at the end of this unable to figure out what part I wasn't liking about the flow there.  
> I gave up because I'll probably never be satisfied but I promised a friend I'd update this thing soon. <3  
> See, I did what I said!!
> 
> Zero clues what the hell I'm doing here. Bear with me, it'll be fun, I'm sure. :3  
> Like, I know what I want to have happen in the end, just not the in-between part.  
> I'll get there eventually. :D
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr - Cherrypie62666


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